This invention relates to meter box apparatus for containing and securing an underground utility meter, or other utility device, and more particularly, to such apparatus providing adjustability of the height of the apparatus.
It is conventional to bury utility lines, such as water lines, below the frost line of the earth and to provide meter boxes at appropriate positions for checking the volume of the fluid which has passed through the meter. The depths at which the utility lines must be buried to avoid freezing obviously varies greatly between southern and northern latitudes. Since the meter and its connections must be accessible from the surface, the height of the meter box apparatus must vary considerably to allow the top of the apparatus to be substantially level with the grade. It has also been found that the grade level tends to vary with time and more particularly, with changes in the surfacing of streets. It is apparent, therefore, that the height of the meter box apparatus must not only be adjustable as to the time when the meter is installed but preferably as the grade level may change from time to time.
As the height of the apparatus is varied to accommodate different frost lines, the height of the meter may also need to be adjusted with respect to the box to permit readability of the meter from the surface or prevent its freezing.
Meter box apparatus for containing and securing a utility meter ordinarily includes a box forming a meter pit fabricated of concrete, cast iron, or other such heavy materials. It is, however, known to fabricate such boxes of plastic, such as polyolefin.
It is also known to fabricate such apparatus to include two cast iron barrels which telescope by means of threads on the outer surface of the lower barrel and on the inner surface of the upper barrel. Although such apparatus provides axial adjustability, the components are expensive to make, and are extremely heavy, being therefore expensive to ship and difficult to handle.
As suggested above, it is also desirable that devices for securing the meter at a readable level should be adjustable with respect to the height of the box. It is customary, however, for the devices securing the meter, such as copper meter setters, to be fixed in height at the time of the manufacture of the apparatus. Such apparatus is therefore customarily manufactured for use in a specific latitude and the height of the meter predetermined with respect to the height of the meter box.
To reduce the cost of positioning the meter, it is sometimes attached to the service lines without further support or clamping in position. When a meter is serviced or changed under these conditions, not only does the position of the meter tend to be changed, but the service pipe can be damaged with resulting leak.